Women with a horrific past find their way

“I AM a mystery/suspense/thriller kind of reader but this piece of literature stirred up my interest. Firefly Beach by Luanne Rice is about a dysfunctional family and a young love lost because of some inevitable events.

For a person who doesn’t usually read books with family-related themes, I found the story a compelling read. It centers on the Renwick family, who, despite their stability on the surface, was actually a family slowly falling apart. At first I thought it would be very boring and that I would stop reading it in the middle, but then Luanne Rice proved to be one talented writer.

She was able to portray the different but connected issues the family has: the delusional mother who was firmly in denial of the reality that her family wasn’t okay, the eldest daughter trying to keep everything intact to the point she forgets to put herself in consideration, the second sister escaping from it all and the guilt-laden youngest daughter who resorted to alcohol to drown the reality she wasn’t ready to reconcile yet.

Luanne Rice gave a beautiful picture of how the three sisters faced the horrors of their past by finding the strength to do it with the help of each other. And the reconciliation of the eldest daughter with her long-lost love shouldn’t be forgotten, too. It was made in a way that wasn’t too cheesy and unrealistic. You have to read the book to understand what I’m saying so I suggest, to all those who love happy endings but not in a typical way, this book is for you. Plus, you would surely love their dog!”

— Mel Zala, student